Welding machine



H. M. NAUGLE ET AL Dec 11, 1928;-

' 5 Sheets-Shut l Dec. 11,1928.

1,694,555 H. M. NAUGLE ET AL wawxm' lacuna.

Filed Sept. 18. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I gwvcntoc r HM/Vaqgle and AJ Ybwrwend H. M. NAUGLE' :rm. 7

wzmme IAQIINB Filed Sept. 1a 1926 s Sheets-Shoot 3 i jmntoc Fag 4 EMA/bugle and A. J. Townsend af w mm Dec 11; 1928,

H. MINAUGhE ET AL "mac Imam Filed 50 t 16,1926 7 5" Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 11," 192 8.

UNITED STA T s PATENT oFFlcE.

HARRY M. NAUGLE AND ARTHUR J. TOWNSEND, 0E, CANTON, 01110, Ass'reNoas', BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To THE COLUMBIA STEEL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENN- SYLVANIA, ACORPORATION OFVPENNTSYLVANIA.

WELDING MACHINE.

Application filed September 18,192 6'. Serial No. 136,360.

The invention relates to apparatus for welding the laminations or the overlapped ends of continuously moving strips and the like, in connection with the manufacturing operations of hot or cold rolled strip mills and the like; application being acontinuation in part of the common subject matter of our pending application filed November 17, 1924, Serial No. 750,271, and our pending application filed July 1, 1925, Serial No. 40,7 39.

. One object of the present improvements has been set forth in each of the above applications wherein a spot welder is illustrated and described,including a set of electrodes mount- I ed in a frame supported on a carriage provided with wheels riding on a track, together with gripping devices on thefront and rear sides of the frame, for clampingor holding the overlapped ends of successive strips in position between the electrodes for a spot welding operation while the carriage is traveling forward on the track.

Such means for clamping and holding a welding machine mounted upon wheels riding on a track, to the overlapping ends of successive moving strips, or moving the machine, is desirable and necessary in connection with the continuous operations of hot or cold rolled strip mills, and in the continuous annealing and continuous pickling processes set forth in the said applications for patent; to avoid any stopping of the continuous movement of the strip.

A plurality of spot welds, or a seam or a projection weld extending across the overlapped ends of a. steel strip, is rendered necessary or desirable in a continuous annealing operation, because of the thermal strains to which the weld is subjected by the annealing heating; as well as in a continuous pickling operation, because of the mechanical strains to which the weld may be subjected by a twisting or a turning of the strip through the pickling bath.

Moreover, in dealing with black stock having a scale thereon, the presence of the scale on the overlapped ends of the strips may less en the strength of a single spot weld, and require a plurality of welds for security; and

when dealing with the thicker or heavier strips for a pickling thereof, a plurality of spot welds is also necessary or desirable.

v For these reasons, a further object of the present improvement is to provide for a' trans- These and other objects may be attained by the use of the construction and arrangement hereafter described, and illustrated in'the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which 7 Figure 1 IS a more or less conventional side elevation partly in'section of one form of improved welding machine as heretofore set forth in the aforesaid mentioned applications, in conjunction withother apparatus for continuous annealing;

Fig. 2, a more or less conventional side elevation, partly in section, of a modified and preferred embodiment of the invention provided with means for transversely moving spot welding electrodes across the longitudinally moving strip, in connection with other apparatus for continuous pickling.

Fig. 3, a side elevation of the preferredembodiment of the inventionas aforesaid;

Fig. 4, a rear end elevation thereof;

Fig. 5, an enlarged vertical cross section thereof illustrating the-strip gripping mechanism as on line 5-5, Fig. 4:; and

Fig. 6,-an enlarged vertical cross section similar to Fig. 5-, illustrating a modified form of hand-operated strip gripping mechanism.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 may include an improved traveling spot welder C in proper series arrangement with a coil box A, a strip leveler B, and an electric heating furnace E and other elements for continuous annealing as set forth in the aforementioned applications. I

The spot Welder C may include a set of electrodes 13 mounted in a frame 14 sup ported on a carriage l l provided with wheels 15 riding on a track 16 together with gripping devices 14 on the front and rear sides of the frame for clamping and holding successive strips with their ends overlapped in positionbetween the electrodes for a spot welding operation while the carriage is being drawn along the track by reason of its being clam ed to the strips.

The pre erred embodiment of the invention as a Component element in an apparatus for continuous pickling, is illustrated more switches and electric connections, and may have a foot pedal 22 for causing the electrodes 20 and 20"to approach each other and apply pressure to overlapping strip ends 19 and 19 and thelike, which may be suitably placed between the electrodes, thereby suitably timing the resistance welding circuit thus set up; the welder C being connected to power line trolley Wires 23 and 23' by lead wires 24. and 24 leading from the welder through a conduit 25 to trolleys 26 and 26 suitably mounted upon a trolley frame 27 secured to a traveling carriage frame 28 upon which the welder frame 21 is likewise mounted.

The traveling carriage frame 28 is provided with a set of flange wheels 29 suitably journaled thereon for riding to and fro on track rails 30, which may be referred to as a reciprocating movement.

The spot welder frame 21 is mounted for transverse movement upon the carriage frame 28, as by the collar feet 31 slidably mounted upon the transversely extending slide bars 32 preferably spaced above the frame 28 and secured .thereto by supports 33.

A welding table 34 is suitably spaced between the electrodes 20 and 20 and is provided with a transversely extending central slot 35 for permitting welding operation of the electrodes, which table is mounted upon the carriage frame 28 as by means of the channel legs 36.

"The table 34 may be provided with a receiving end extension 34 suitably secured theretolandbraced to the legs 36 as by means of diagonal struts 37. The table legs 36 and the uprights 27 of the trolley frame 27 may be provided with suitable diagonal brace struts 38 and 39 connecting them with the carriage frame 28.

To provide a platform 40 upon which an operator forthe traveling welder may stand, the carriage frame 28 preferably extends transversely beyond the table. I

Control means convenient to the operator for transversely moving the welder frame 21 upon which the electrodes are operatively .mounted, and which is itself carried upon feet 31 slidably mounted upon the transverse bars 32, may include a hand wheel 41 mounted upon one of the table legs 36 and operatively connected with the welder frame 21 as by means of chain belt and sprocket gearing 42 v welder Upper gripping plates 49 are operatively mounted above the stationary magnets 45 as by means of upwardly extending guide bars '50, secured at their lower ends 51, as by upsetting to plates 49, and being provided with threaded upper ends 52. The guide bars 50 extend through guide apertures 53 in a cross plate 54 secured as by bolts 55 and angles 56 to extensions 36 of the table legs 36 projecting a suitable distance above the upper level of the table.

Spring supporting means for y the guide bars 50 are provided, which may include compression springs 54 abutting at their lower ends the lower surface of the cross plate 54,, and at their upper ends the washers 55, strung upon the bolts. the threaded upper ends 52 of the bolts, abut upon the other sides of the washers 55' for supporting the bolts and for providing a variable compression of the springs.

The gripping plates 45 and 49 may be provided with removable face plates 45 and 49 secured to the plates 45 and 49 as. by

inean's of countersunk bolts 58.

The electro-magnets 45 are connected'to power line trolley wires 59 and 59 by lead wires 60 and 60 extending from the welder through a conduit 61 to trolleys 62 and 62 suitably mounted upon the'trolley frame 27, and a suitable magnet control switch 63 is Nuts 57 screwed upon.

provided in the circuit for energizing and deenergizing the magnets as desired.

The operation and use of the traveling C may be described as follows: A strip being subjected to a continuous annealing process-and passing from the coil box A through the strip levelerB, the welder C, the solution washer B, the furnace E and the other elements of the apparatus as set forth in said previous applications for patent,

progresses through the apparatus until it has been entirely unwound from one coil intthe' coil box A; and in order to provide for a "proper continuity of operation of the apparabus it is necessary to secure the end of another strip coil to the end of-the first mentioned completely unwound coil, without stopping the progress of the first strip through the apparatus.

This may be accomplished by the use of the welder C'by means of the gripping device 14 on the side of the frame 14 next to the furnace E, thereclamping the first strip end by.

lby pulling the entire traveling welder along for joining the overlapping strips to each the track 16 at whatever speed the" gripped other by depressing the foot pedal 22 in the strip end may have. During. or before this usual manner to impinge the electrodes upon operation, the end of anew strip coil is unthe overlapped strips for closing the welding wound from the coil box A and passed circuit,heating the strips and providing the throu h the leveler B and the other open necessary pressure by means of the electrodes gripping device 14" on the side of the travelfor making the welds.

ing welder near the leveler B so that it over- After making one weld the operator may ps the af resaid gripped end of the first then turn the hand wheel 41 in the proper di-. strip, after which the other gripping device rection for actuating the chain belt and is c mped own upon the end of the second sprocket gearing 42 to transversely slide the 'strip,tl1ereb pullingthe se Ild st ip al Hg at welder frame 21 in the desired direction to the speed 0 the first strip and the traveling transversely space the line of action of the welder being drawn thereby. he v rlap- Welding electrodes a suitable distance from of the strip; while another strip end 19 of a ping st ps s being a p d between the the first weld for making a pair of transversegripping device 14" andto the welder 14, the ,ly spaced spot welds for securing the overlapstrips and the electrodes of the welder are ping w'ide strips to each other, by a second des i n ry Wi h, respect to each other ,and pression of the foot pedal 22, the welding mathe welding electrodes may be-operated in chine bein drawn along the track 30 at the a usual manner to make a spot weld connectspe d of the gripped strips during all of the ing the ends of the first and secdnd strips welding operations.

to each other, without having stopped the S cc i repetitions of the above d progress of the first strip through the continscribed cycle of operation for the welding mauous annealing apparatus. After the Weld chine provide means for making a plurality of has been made the gripping device may e transversely spaced welds upon overlapped clamped and the traveling Welder Whe led strips moving in a direction angular to a line back on the track-16 for joining the ends Of connecting the transverse spaced welds. successive strips to each other as aforesaid. A difi d f r f t i ri i mecha- V The welder C may be used'for relatively nism illustrated in Fig. 6 and indicated gennarrow strips which may be secured to each erally at 44'; and adapted for hand-operation other with one weld but for securing the may, if desired, be provided instead of an elecends of relatively wide strips to each other it. trd-magnetically operated mechanism 44, at

is desirable to provide a plurality of spot ach of the strip receiving and delivery ends welds spaced transversely across the strips, 34" and 34" of the table 34.

for whichthe improved welder C is parties Each hand-operating strip gripping mechaularly adapted, and which of course may be nism includes stationary bottom grip plates used also to accomplish the results which may 45 secured at the level ofthe table 34 as by he efiected by the use of the welder C. bolts 46 to transverse table end channels 47, That is to say, in the continuous pickling which are connected to the'legs 36 as by angle apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2, which mayinbrackets 48.

elude a coil box A, a strip levelerB, a travel: Upper gripping plates 49 are operatively ing welder G, a pickling tank G, a washing mounted above the stationary plates 45 as by tank H and suitable supporting rolls R, the means of upwardly extending guide bars 50,

- strip end 19 of one strip, which has been unsecured at their lower ends 51, as by upsetting coiled from the coil in the coil box A and to plates 49, and being provided with threaded which is progressing through the continuous upper ends 52. The guide bars 50 extend pickling apparatus, may be gripped by one through guide apertures 53 in a cross plate 54 of the gripping means 44 nearest the pickling secured as by bolts 55 and. angles 56 to extentank, so that the end is spaced between the sio'ns 36 of the table legs 36 projectin v a electrodes 20 and 20' and the gripped strip suitable distance above the upper level of the draws the-traveling welder along at the speed. table.

Spring supporting means forthe guide second fully round coil is passed from the coil bars 50 are provided, which may include com x t r ug h s ip leveler B a h pression springs 54 abutting at their lower clamped gripping means 44 nearest the strip ends the lower surface of the cross plate 54, leveler so as to overlap the aforesaid strip and at their upper ends the washers 55, end 19 and be spaced between the electrodes, 'strung'upon the bolts. Nuts 57 screwed upon the gripping mean being operated by ener the threaded upper ends 52 of the bolts, abut gizmg the magnets 5 to pull the strips and upon the other sides of the washers 55 for upper rippin nets: be en s 19 and 19' are thus overvariable compression of the springs. lapped between the electrodes and gripped to a The gripping plates 45 and 49 may be prothe welder so that the welder is drawn along vided with removable face plates 45" and 49 with the moving strips. secured to the plates45 and 49 as by means of v The operator may then make a spot weld countersunk bolts- 58.

plates 49 against the magsupporting the bolts and for providing a Upon the upper surface of the plate 49 and between the bolts 50 a cam block G l is secured for-cooperating with an eccentric 65 provided with bearing ends 66 suitably jur-- ratus is very similar to itsoperation when -provided with electro-magnetic strip gripping mechanisms 4-4, excepting that the strips are gripped by the operator turning by hand the cranks 67 of the hand operated mechanisms. 44; instead of passing an electric current through the gripping magnets of the mechanisms 44. r

We claim 1. A welding machine including a reciprocating carriage, welding means operativel'y mounted upon the carriage, and strip gripping means operable independent of the welding means, and connected to the carriage.

2. A welding machine including a reciprocating carriage. welding means operatively mounted upon the carriage and a plurality of strip gripping means operable independent of the welding'means and connected to the carriage. I

3. A'welding machine including a movable carriage, welding means operatively mounted upon the carriage and transversely movable thereon, and strip gripping means operable independent of the welding means and connected to the carriage.

4. A welding machine including a movable carriage, welding means operativelymounted upon the carriage and transversely movable thereon and a plurality of strip gripping means operable independent of the welding means and connected to the carriage.

5. A welding machine including a reciprocating carriage, Welding means operatively mounted upon the carriage and a plurality of strip gripping means operable independent of each other and of the welding means and connected to the carriage.

In testimony that we claim the above, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

v HARRY M. NAUGLE.

ARTHUR J. TOlVNSEND. 

